A Resource Guide for Faculty, Teaching Assistants, Medical Practitioners, and Professional Staff
Common Problems Abusive Dating Relationships Academic or Career-Related Concerns Aggression and Potential Violence Anxiety Demanding Behavior Depression Disabilities Eating Disorders Grief Hate Crime or Hate Incidents Hazing Irrational Behavior or Inappropriate Behavior Learning Disabilities or Attention Deficit Disorder Psychiatric Disabilities Sexual Assault Sexual Harassment Stalking Substance Abuse Suicide Trauma

Trauma

People who have experienced a traumatic event (e.g., earthquake, fire, severe accident) may have responses that are “normal reactions to abnormal events.” The type of reactions that are triggered can make people feel out of control and even more distressed. These reactions can sometimes be focused on a loved one in danger (e.g., a family member or friend in a war zone or natural disaster). These responses may be experienced immediately and/or much later, and are sometimes referred to as “emotional aftershocks.” A stress reaction can include physical signs (e.g., nausea, weakness, sleep disturbance, appetite disturbance, twitching or trembling); cognitive signs (e.g., confusion, nightmares, hypervigilance, memory and concentration disturbance, poor problem-solving, disorientation); emotional signs (e.g., fear, guilt, panic, denial, anxiety, irritability, depression, feeling overwhelmed); and behavioral signs (e.g., withdrawal, agitation, pacing, prolonged crying, increased alcohol consumption). Research indicates that contact with and comfort from individuals within the person’s established social support system of family and friends is most effective, and that generally the symptoms will gradually disappear. If you have contact with a student who has experienced trauma:

DO

  1. Offer the student time to talk or arrange contact with someone who can be with the student.
  2. Offer to arrange contact with the staff at Counseling Services
    3. (893-4411) or other professionals.
  3. Listen carefully.
  4. Assure the student that s/he is now safe (if this is true).
  5. Adjust academic requirements, if possible, to accommodate a student’s need.
  6. Support a return to daily routine (which can normalize and comfort), and/or also understand if the student feels unable to attend classes or engage in other activities.
  7. Encourage adequate sleep and well-balanced, regular meals.
  8. Encourage contact with a professional if reactions are intense for an extended period of time.

DON’T

  1. Tell a student that s/he is “lucky it wasn’t worse.”
  2. Minimize the event or student reaction.
  3. Force the student to talk about/describe the event.
  4. Take the student’s irritability or other feelings personally.
  5. Suggest, expect, or force major decisions.
 
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